NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: MARLINS v CUBS

October 8, 2003

Sammy Sosa

SAMMY SOSA: Definitely. I'm having fun all the time. This is a great feeling. Nobody knew that we would be here today. We've been showing the whole world that we can do it.

SAMMY SOSA: Well, quite impressed, probably for the fans to have a chance to enjoy that. For myself, I've been there many times, but that was a great moment to hit the ball. And I was just so happy myself to have a chance to produce and help them and I don't really have a chance to look where the ball is going to land. It doesn't matter to me. As soon as I put the swing on the bat, the ball was out of the ballpark, that was my main concern right there.

SAMMY SOSA: It feels great. These playoff series are something that you have to have a plan to go out there every day. Some of those people think that going there every day and really thinking about home run for myself, this is not the way you're supposed to play the playoff. You have to have a plan yourself. Be there, be patient, especially in my situation, which is not going to be easy. I had two good pitches, and I'm hitting it out of the ballpark. But I know that they see that and they will make adjustment in that, and I'll have to make adjustment myself in going back to Miami.

SAMMY SOSA: Well, definitely I think that they have some pretty strong, good pitchers. And when you see somebody throw a 96, 97, it's hard to walk somebody, because they're going to lose the confidence they have. I don't mind if they pitch to me, it makes my job more easy.

SAMMY SOSA: That was a great shot last night, once again having a chance to come through for the whole team. But I hit the ball very good, all over the place. Unfortunately I didn't have that much luck in the Atlanta series. But coming to this series, definitely that was great, pretty much especially a player like me, being there before, and sometimes going to take a lot of time to put the perfect swing on the ball. But I never panic myself, because I know what I can do. And you see yesterday and today.

SAMMY SOSA: First of all, I'm not Barry Bonds. I'm not the manager, I don't really want to cross the line for those things that if he walked Barry Bonds, yes or no. That's not something that I want to get into that. We're just here trying to win

some games, not cause any trouble in any misunderstanding with anybody. If they walk me, I go to first base. If they pitch me I take whatever they give me.

SAMMY SOSA: Well, in that time I really, myself, they probably do that because they always have a chance to come back. And that probably was his idea to have a chance. But if they're going to walk me, I'll go to first base. Whatever happens, again, I don't take it personally, I just want to go out there and whatever they give me that's what I have to take.

SAMMY SOSA: Confidence? It's something that the first series with the Atlanta Braves, I had to say to myself I know I don't perform the way I'm supposed to. But in this series I've been more patient. I have a plan. This is the second round, and in the second round you probably know or do some different things. And hopefully I'll continue it, and that's one of the reasons why I have to be patient and they will make some mistakes.

SAMMY SOSA: Well, we only face him one time. It's something that in the regular season probably is -- you go out there, and face the guy one time, this is the playoff, something different. It's something you've got to go out there and don't give up anything, be patient. And one thing that I'll do Friday is still wait for a pitch in the strike zone, and make them throw a strike.

SAMMY SOSA: It's like Christmas for me, going to Miami, having a chance to sleep in my own bed. I have a chance to see my family. I'm going to have a great time and definitely I have so many people that's going to arrive Friday, coming from the Dominican Republic. It's going to be awesome, and it's going to be so many people that I know, and hopefully I just continue the same plan and do good over there. We have Wood on Friday, so I feel 90 percent we have a chance to win on Friday.

SAMMY SOSA: This ballclub, they never give up, let me tell you something. They are a very competitive team. And if you think you're going to go out there and -- they can hurt you. You've got to make sure that -- just stick with the same plan we stuck with today. Make sure the first and second hitters don't get on base, and take care of the rest of the line-up. They never give up. They keep coming back, keep coming back. And that's something that I admire.

SAMMY SOSA: Let's put it this way, the way we started yesterday, it should be in our favor. We made so many mistakes yesterday, we left so many pitches right there at the plate. And to have a chance, especially the way that they were yesterday, but we started right away swinging the bat pretty good. And like I said, it was coming back. And there was some good pitches to hit. And today we just said to ourselves we've got to -- for ourselves we say we win today, we're going there to Miami, and we have our horses going Friday. Kerry Wood has been unbelievable lately. And winning today that makes us feel more comfortable and exciting. And Friday will be unbelievable, because we've got Kerry, and we're going over there to take care of business.